Sunday 31st October, Tuesday 2nd November

My blogging has become increasingly spasmodic - reflecting the lack of cycle rides!   I'm back in the saddle having done 5.38km and 8.84km respectively.  Not back to 16km+ yet.  Today's trip was over the Downs with a stop at the Peregrine Watch, Jim was there when I arrived, no Peregrines, and he told me there were none around.  This time of year they are not seen frequently at all.  The next thing we will know is the return of the Ravens to their nest opposite.  A squadron of ducks was flying around over the river, high speed and looking like a fighter squadron!

BCC have finished the fencing above Sea Walls, it is now painted black, and looks very good and smart.  It only took them 5/6 years to do the whole couple of hundred metres.   The other fence which is going up concerns the Goat Stalig or Goat Pen.  It was supposed to unobtrusive, but if 7-8' black fencing in non-intrusive, I just wonder what they would put up if they wanted to make it really stand out.  It will be an eyesore in what was an idyllic enclave just off the Downs.  Ugh!   Not only that the cost has been kept very quiet, and as I've said before, maybe over £100,000.  And in the present financial climate.

I said a change of direction for the blog.  I have been diagnosed with permanent AF (look it up!), a consequence of which is that I have to take warfarin daily.  I start this evening:  it has to be taken at the same time each evening, so an iPhone bell rings at 7pm;  the dose needs to be settled so I take 5mg tablets for 3 days and then a blood test;  this gives the 'bleeding time' - remember 'Doctor in the House'.

Sunday 10th October

Around lunchtime, I cycled out via the Downs, around by Sea Walls, the past the Peregrine Watch, along the Gorge woodland path, down Bridge Valley (now fenced) and onto the Portway path.  From there to Sea Mills station and the towpath.  My plan was to try out the Optimus stove that I had for a birthday present by brewing a cup of tea.  I think that the river has flooded the tow path very recently, anyway, where I intended to brew and sit was covered in river mud;  the brew went poorly due to a slight breeze blowing the flame from under the stove!  Result, I used up all the propane before the water boiled - it did nearly boil - so I go the cup of tea.  The stove needs a small windscreen if it is to work properly.  Partial success with the plan.
Above the Raven's nest, high up, two Ravens were gliding around.  A young Peregrine was perched on one of the cliff pinnacles below and to the right of the Peregrine Watch.  He/she stayed while I watched from the Portway, preening feathers, and with an obviously full crop.   A little later when I got to the base of the Black Rock quarry cliff a Kestral circled, went into the woodland of Walcombe Slade, and dived onto something on the ground.  I don't think it caught anything.  By Sea Mills there were gulls on the mud, also a number of Redshank and a couple of Peewits, the latter are unusual visitors to the mud, so I was uncertain about what they were until I saw the crests.  By the Storm Drain on the way back I spotted a Dipper,  then a Cormorant landed ion the river beside it, another Redshank was exploring the nearby mud. 
The sun was out, together with most of Bristol, I returned up Bridge Valley Road and back over the Downs, home.

A rider.  With the collossal cuts due from the BCC in the budget they are still wasting money on goats.  Obviously they prefer looking after goats to looking after vulnerable people.

Sunday 19th September

Warmer this morning, but with a cold wind in my face coming up to Sea Walls.  The white flashes from the wings of a couple of Redshank attracted my attention as they flew from one mud bank to the other;  I found one more on the mud below the cliff. Low tide, but still receding.  A heron was standing in the water, and another, just below the storm drain outlet struggled with an eel.  At first I thought it was a large gull, but the Heron was crouched down trying to pull the eel from the mud.  The struggle went on for five minutes or more, eventually the Heron stretched out to its full height, extended its head and neck, and down went the eel!  At the Peregrine Watch I had a brief view of the gray back of a Peregrine as it disappeared among the trees at the top of the quarry.

Thursday 16th September

I've been neglecting my cycling!  This morning there was no excuse, so I did a quick Downs circuit before a lazy brunch.  I'm told that only one of the four young Peregrines is still hanging around in the Gorge, maybe the male, he was often separate from his sisters.  Anyway, today I only caught the briefest glimpse of a Buzzard, down in the woodland over the other side, and then obscured by the vegetation on this side of the Peregrine Watch.
A large tree, an elm I think has been felled.  It grew in one of the front gardens of Ivywell road, and the remnants were sitting, cut up, on the Down.  I'm always sad to see these giants disappear. 

Thursday, Sunday, August 19th, 22nd

The Goat Pen

Very little bird life to report on on Thursday, however I'll soon be able to observe the goats!  This is a truly mad-cap scheme, supposedly to improve the habitat of the Gully, aka Walcombe Slade, and return it to the grassland that it never was. Because goats have been introduced in various other locations, the Downs Committee and its Natural England advisers,  think they can do the same in Walcombe Slade.  Firstly, it will cost a lot of money, at the BCC meeting to approve this scheme BCC were noticeably coy about the cost.  And that was before the present financial crisis.  Secondly,  all the other schemes are in areas about 100x the size of Walcombe Slade, so this will be a pen rather than a free area for the animals to roam.  Thirdly, we all know (or at least those who are followers of Sean the Sheep) that "goats eat anything", so they will surely munch on the many beautiful Whitebeams in this area - some very rare.  Thus in Cheddar the N.T. are somewhat worried about the fact that the goats there are already chewing on a newly discovered Whitebeam species which is unique to Cheddar Gorge;  a recent BBC feature showed one of the botanists, busily going around taking cuttings of the rare ones! A safety precaution! Fourthly, as if they didn't have enough to do with clearing litter, the Downs Rangers will have to keep an eye on them most days - also the fencing.  Maybe someone will find a Heidi to do the job!  Fifthly, the goats are very close to a large population area, they may prove a tempting tasty morsel;  having eaten goat myself I can vouch for it as a pleasant meat.  Sixth. Looking at the "temporary" fencing being instated, it is unlikely that the goats will escape - unless someone damages the fencing - but they are highly intelligent and have a great curiosity.  When goats escaped on another conservation site they had to be shot.  Seventh, weasel words were used to assure everybody that the said fencing was "temporary", so how long is that?  Five years, ten years?  And what plans are there for the time when they are removed - if ever!  Remember that the "temporary" Zoo car park has been around for 40 years!  Enough said, but I'll be reporting about anything I learn about our coming  capra aegagrus hircus or maybe plain capra aegagrus.  


On Sunday I cycled through Bristol and onto the Portway, this was another day when the traffic was excluded.  Heavenly!  I could not see any Peregrines on the cliffs below the Peregrine Watch, though it is plain to see where they roost from the guano patches below various pinnacles on the rock faces.  Neither were there any Peregrines in the quarry.  At Sea Mills I watched as a flock of twenty or more Redshank gathered on some patches of seaweed - and went to sleep!  Elsewhere numerous Ducks and Gulls sat beside the river, and Martins dived around above the river catching flies.  Occasionaly they scooped water from the river surface.

Thursday August 12th

The magnificent Horse Chestnut trees on Saville Road show obvious signs of leaf miner moth attack, and it looks more severe than for previous years.  It has been around for several years now, even since I started these Blogs.   Given BCC and the Downs Ranger's propinquity for felling any tree that looks "dangerous" (and not replacing it), the outlook for these trees is bleak to say the least,  and it is probably too much to hope that Chris Sorensen's advice to sweep up dead leaves will be heeded. {Advice from  Chris Sorensen, Forestry Commission officer for the 4,500-acre Savernake Forest near Marlborough, said: “There are quite a few that are affected here but the problem is limited, because the horse chestnut is not generally a forest tree.  For those who have horse chestnut trees at home, I believe the advice is that you should rake up dead leaves and bin them, that way you at least kill off that year’s offspring.”
There was a lot of peregrine activity at the Watch, I could see two young Peregrines and possibly a third one over in the yew tree beside the quarry, and lower down in the dead tree the fourth sibling was facing me.  Looking as ever like a little white beacon.  When you know where to look the Peregrines are very visible if they face over the river.  After that the birds moved around a lot, one flying off up river, another sailing around the quarry, moving around the top of the yew, and there were several trips over to the cliffs underneath my vantage, and one 'fly past'.  The tide was very high and starting to recede, other birds flew warily and rapidly over the river!   A Cormorant flew up river, and two Ravens came across and perched in an ash tree just up and behind the Peregrines.  I expected an altercation - but the Ravens disappeared into the Leigh Woods trees.

Sunday August 8th

I decided to take my breakfast to the riverside by Sea Mills - Sunday is usually croissants and egg.   I cycled through town and onto the Portway, where I discovered that there was a charity event on, puzzled as to what it was at first, I later discovered that people were being taken over the river from the cliffs to the towpath on an aerial runway - for charity. Many other were walking and cycling on the Portway, enjoying the peace and quiet.  The closure of the Portway to traffic makes for a heavenly ride, no noise, no huge lorries rushing past, the gulls and other birds are audible, as are people talking on the other side of the river.  There were some very raucous ducks around.
Just before the Suspension Bridge there was a Heron standing at the river edge in the mud.  Then there were numerous ducks, sleeping on the mud, dabbling at the water edge, flying busily.  At Sea Mills I watched a Cormorant fishing, it would dive and surface every few yards, I did not see it catch anything, but later a cormorant was standing down river with its wings out, as they do when digesting food.  Maybe it was lucky.  Another Cormorant flew up-river, very close to the surface so I'm reminded of the Russian Ekranoplan!
At last I spotted some Redshank feeding on the mud. There were other birds, Martins, Swifts, Gulls, and a small one flitting among the reed tops;  later at the Peregrine Watch a Spotted Woodpecker flew past.  No sign of the Peregrines, either from the Watch, or below on the Portway.

Thursday August 5th

Colder today, the tide was coming in, but with a lot of mud still visible.   I'm surprised not to see any Redshank, they are not seen very much recently.   At the Peregrine Watch two birds were visible over in the yew tree, and on careful looking two more could be seen nearly opposite in the trees.  One in an ash, the other in a dead tree;  the latter Peregrine was moving around in the tree, and eventually disappeared from view.  I think that all of these are the youngsters, so I'd glad they are all surviving.  No sign of their parents though.
At Sea Walls I watched a youngster in a bright red helmet abseiling down the well used vertical face near to the Gully;  well supervised by experienced climbers, but nevertheless a brave young lady!  A couple more were lined up for the drop, an several were already down at the bottom of the cliff.

Wednesday 28th July

The common whitebeam by the Sea Walls fence has a good crop of berries. {iPhone photo}.  Back on Saville Road the chesrnut trees look very poorly, many brown patches on the leaves of these fine trees, especially at the Cote Green end.  The Downland has turned back to a pleasant green after the rain.

Offficious wardens object to a family windbreak on the Downs - behavior of the Downs Warden or his underlings needs broadcasting.  Perhaps some attention to the many people who park illegally on the grass, who spoil the grass with barbecues, and who dump huge quantities of picnic rubbish, would be more apposite!   I'm glad to see that the BCC will reprimand those concerned and tell them to be more judiceous in their choice of targets.   They are still working on the Gorge fence, but it looks as if it will not be finished (again), five years to erect a couple of hundred meters of repaired fence!

The four Peregrine youngsters were sitting atop the yew tree opposite the Peregrine Watch.  One flapped its wings and took off, then another.   The other two remained for all the time of my visit.  Then one reappeared, and circled over the quarry, slowly making its way across and over towards Sea Walls.  High up it started to chase a Sea Gull, diving and chasing it high over the Downs and eventually over towards the Zoo.  I understand that at least one Gull has been killed recently,  also that five chicks were ringed and fledged.  Certainly only four survive now.   This was a glorious summer morning, with a warm breeze, high tide (receding), and small clouds.

Tuesday 27th July

Very dull and humid, so cycling was a drain on energy! The river was fairly high with only small amounts of mud. The gulls float around on updrafts and eddies from the gorge winds and make it look so easy. On the river a couple of dozen young Black Headed Gulls and their parents kept in a tight group, moving from the mud to the river and back. At the Peregrine Watch I could only see one Peregrine, perched a little way down on the side of the big yew tree to the left of the quarry; they usually perch on top of the tree, so this was unusual, and probably one of this years young brood. If there were other Peregrines in the quarry and trees I could not see them. Coming across towards Sea Walls on Circular Road I watched a mix of Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws. Rooks really do have very ugly beaks!

Monday 19th, Saturday 24th July

One morning ride, one afternoon ride. Monday I had a brief glimpse of a Peregrine as it came into the Watch, otherwise only Gulls and Ducks. There is on very white Duck with the Mallards in the estuary, I see it frequently. A Grey Heron was watching the mud by the drain outlet, slow, angular, deliberate movements. He caught nothing while I watched. Today, Saturday, I cycled out around the usual circuit paused at Black Rocks where several groups of climbers were making their way up the cliff. Neither Redshank nor Kestrel. At the Peregrine Watch two birds at the top of the yew tree, one just below them in the bare tree half way down the quarry, and one flew out, under our cliff, then a little later back to disappear into the trees to the right. That is the four youngsters. One of the other watchers said that five had fledged this year, I thought that it was four. If one is lucky then the parents can be seen passing food to these birds, there was a brie sighting of another Peregrine up towards the Suspension Bridge, but none came down river with food.

Saturday 17th July

A young Peregrine was embedded at the top of the yew tree beside the quarry opposite, and I only spotted her when one of her sisters(?) flew onto the same perch. None others in the quarry that I could see. This morning was much colder than a week or so back, and we had so much rain since my last blog that I was not able (didn't want!) to venture out.
There are workmen repairing the fence above Black Rock cliff, but I wonder whether even now the fence will be finished. I commented on this a long time ago in one of my first blogs!

Thursday, Friday, Sunday, July 8,9 11

Watching Kestrels and Peregrines from a cliff top is always interesting, and at the moment the young of both and their parents appear frequently at eye level. The young Peregrines can be seen over in a dead tree opposite the Watch, sometimes one,sometimes more. When they face us they are very visible with their light front feathers.
On Thursday I watched a Grey Heron just beside the storm outflow, he got up suddenly and grabbed into the water at the end of the drain, coming up with, unmistakeably, even from the Sea Walls cliff top, an eel wriggling in his beak. The struggle went on for several minutes, I think the eel won, because I didn't see the Heron swallow anything, and he was digging in the water near a large rock after the eel disappeared from his beak. Eels are very difficult to dispatch!
On Friday I cycled along the Portway cycle path, I didn't see any raptors, perched or flying, but did see Martins, Swifts and some distant Redshank from the bank at Sea Mills station. On Sunday there was a very large crowd of watchers at the Peregrine Watch, and the birds were putting on a fine flying display.

Wednesday July 7th

The river formed a small stream in the middle of a very muddy bed - matching the colour of the sky! We are promised rain, and the Downs can certainly do with a lot, many places are as brown as the river with the grass looking dead.
At Sea Walls a Cormorant and a Heron were on the river side, together with Common Gulls, Herring Gulls, Black Headed Gulls and a couple of Lesser Black Back Gulls, these squabbling over something in the mud.
One of the adult Kestrels sailed past on the warm southerly wind, then flew around the corner into Walcombe Slade. No sign of the youngsters this morning, they are probably over in Leigh Woods.
At the Peregrine Watch another Heron (or the same one) was searching the grass on the river bank where I suspect there are frogs.
There was one very fast fly-past of a Peregrine just in front of us. Three of the young birds were perched in a tree under some ivy, and about halfway down the opposite quarry face. Until Chris Jones pointed them out to me I had not seen them, I was looking too high up the cliff. Once visible they are obvious, especially when facing across the gorge showing their white fronts. They were moving around in the tree, so that sometimes they disappeared into the background. Chris passed another picture on to me.

Four Young Peregrines by Chris Jones, June 2010

Monday, Tuesday, July 5th, 6th

My first cycle rides for a couple of weeks - the Kestrels and Peregrines are all very active. The young Kestrels, I'm told there are three of them - have been flying around between Black Rock cliffs, the Gully and opposite into Leigh Woods, I have not seen either parent. I visited Whitesands Bay just outside St Davids last week, and watched another pair of Kestrels, which I think may also have been young birds from theier colouring. I even saw a Chough - but only as a fleeting glimpse.
As to the Peregrine youngsters, all five of them, for which this is a 'photo taken by Chris Jones, have been perching over on a ledge in the quarry opposite, sitting on the Raven's nest, in the yew tree, and perching in the upper branches of the trees on the river slopes of Leigh Woods. This morning one of them circled over the Peregrine Watch for a while; in my binoculars I caught it make a feint at a passing bumble bee! We think this is probably the lone (male?), he tends to stay apart from his four siblings. Yesterday the other four were quite close together in the quarry, whereas one (this one?) was over in a dead tree a hundred meters to the right. The parents had deposited a dead pigeon on the cycle track - probably out of sight of all five youngsters - anyway it was ignored and eventually thrown onto the river bank by passing walkers.

Friday June 18th

When I reached the fence above Black Rock cliff I soon spotted a Kestrel, she was sitting on a small pinnacle a few tens of yards and up to the right of the nest; the pinnacle is stained with droppings so is easy to see through glasses. The bird was still for five minutes or so, then when I turned away, she was off, and the last I saw was her disappearing around the corner into Walcombe Slade.

The river showed a small area of mud, and the tide was coming in. A Grey Heron was fishing just down river from Black Rocks, she stayed there during most of the time I was at the Gorge. A curious behavior from a passing Cormorant, it looked almost as if it 'buzzed' the Heron!

No Peregrines, but a large number of Gulls milling around all over the Gorge, from high up, down to river level. It was difficult to see what they were doing and why, but they were certainly very busy. Maybe flying in the slight wind for the love of it?

Wednesday June 16th

I waited quite a long time standing on one of the railing pillars by the Black Rock Quarry, and overlooking the Suspension Bridge. The tide was high and still flowing in, and the sky was a very clear blue. The Kestrel appeared as if from nowhere and circled just below the cliff that juts towards the river, this was the male, with strong red brown top plumage. He moved off into Walcombe Slade. Next the female appeared, slightly larger and not as red-brown. She landed over on the cliff near where I thought the nest was, then took off and flew around below me and over towards Leigh Woods. The female returned once more but did not land, flying back under me and to Leigh Woods again.

At the Peregrine Watch I saw nothing until another birder pointed out a Peregrine busy plucking a pigeon on the cliff opposite, and just up from the now deserted Raven's Nest. Another Peregrine could now be seen just below the nest. The bird finished the pigeon - or left it - and flew off up river. If, as I've been told there are five Peregrine chicks, I would have expected frantic feeding activity, but I didn't see it.

Fri, Sun, Mon - 11th - 14th June

Friday was a 'conventional' ride around the Downs, the kind that I have done many times now. The statistics from an iPhone app MotionX-GPS: 14.4km, 48.5min, average speed 17.6km/hr, max speed 38km/hr, min alt 67m, max alt 196m, latitude / longitude start: 51.475215N 2.599883W / end 51.475322N 2.599416W locations. So there. The GPS is not that accurate, note that I started and ended at home, which comes up with two slightly different positions! Here is the track.

Friday was a quiet morning for birds; around the Black Rock quarry Jackdaws disappear into crevices in the rock face, there are probably several nesting pairs. White streaks of bird mess show where the Kestrels land, on a cliff perch, and by the supposed nest site. But no sign of the Kestrels on any of these mornings.
On Sunday morning: 7 km through the city and Black Rock apparently 111m(!). A Peregrine glided high above the river, maybe 400m up,
out over Shirehampton and back, then circled the suspension bridge, and back again. If it was hunting, it was unenthusiastic about it, no swoops. I'm told that there are 5 Peregrine chicks this year and would have thought that there would be a lot of feeding activity, but I have not seen it. Monday was quiet and cold with a high tide, neither Kestrels nor Peregrines were around. My ride took me via Southmead Hospital where I went for an X-ray.

Sunday 23rd May. Saturday 15th and Monday 17th May

Sunday. The start of some very hot weather - probably the whole summer in a few days! Coming past Sea Walls I saw the kestrel, but am still uncertain about the nest. The bird appeared from the cliff near the nest, went over and sat on a rock which is well marked with its guano, them glided off around under me on the cliff facing up river. The beautiful red brown of its feathers catching the sun as it passed.
Saturday. The earliest that I have been up on the Gorge for several years! I was by Sea Walls at 6.30am, just as the sun was hitting the trees in Leigh Woods. Very quiet otherwise. The whitebeams shine out across the Gorge, at this time of year they are very easy to spot among the rest of the trees.
Monday likewise.

Tuesday, Thursday, 27th, 30th April; Monday 3rd May

Tuesday: A trip through Henleaze, Westbury on Trym, Sea Mills and along the Gorge, returning up Bridge Valley Road. At Sea Mills a pair of Martins landed on the mud, both gathered mud in their beaks and flew off towards the rail bridge where they have nests. (16.5 km)
Thursday: A quiet ride around the Downs and back through Redland. (14.9km)
Monday: The first Swallow today, it flew past by the Peregrine Watch. I went down Sea Walls Road and into Bramble Lane, then through Bishops Knoll nature reserve and out onto the Portway. Coming past under the Peregrine Watch, one of the birds went into the nest, then emerged a few minutes later and went to perch on the cliff and preen itself. A large bird with a very dark look. Possibly the female. (18.6km)

Sunday, Monday, 25th, 26th April

My Sunday ride took in the Docks and Portway and a visit to the river bank at Sea Mills station. No waders, but it looks like the Martins are back. Otherwise very quiet. {16.1}
Monday was gray and a bit cold. The chestnut trees are in nearly full bloom, and the buds are breaking on the Whitebeams. Again very few birds. I thought that I saw a Peregrine heading up the Gorge, but no, its rapid wing beats gave it away as a Pigeon of some type. {16.8}

Fri, Sat, Mon - April 16, 17, 19

Three days cycling, with two of them early (for me), leaving home around 8am! During these days I heard Blackcaps, saw a Greenfinch, the Peregrines, a Cormorant, and the Kestrel. My principal actors! Then there were the Doves, Pigeons, Rooks, Crows and Jackdaw pairs. Over on the Raven nest black heads can be seen, someone mentioned two chicks? On Saturday there was an 'extra' Peregrine, it was chased vigorously by one of the residents. I had a brief glimpse of the Kestrel leaving the rock face near last year's nest,so assume that they are back.

Around the rest of the Downs the chestnut tress are rapidly coming into blossom. The whitebeams are forming buds, so that it is easy to see these trees amongst their neighbors in the woodland. Now is the time to photograph the whitebeams in the Gully (Walcombe Slade) before the wretched Council turns out the goats!

Mentioning BCC brings me to another grouse. This morning the refuse and plastic rubbish left by the 'Goode Cytizens of Brystle' had to be seen to be believed. It was difficult to distinguish between the plastic and the Gulls on the Downland beside Sea Walls. So much for the large, stupid, plastic notices which now adorn various parts of the Downs. I have great sympathy with the unfortunate Downs ranger assistants who have to clear this mess. On the plus side the BCC have supplied rubbish bins, but these were all full. I notice that the Zoo Parking area is larger than last year (now encompasing the pollarded ash trees), no doubt in celebration of their getting a three year free parking lease. If they were charged a decent amount, say £1000 per day they might be encouraged to go elsewhere. FODAG ("Friends" of the Downs and Avon Gorge) have issued another anodyne, uncritical, half baked comment on the parking, perhaps if they monitored the rare plants in the extended parking area it might have some meaning.

There, my rant is over!

Monday, April 12th

I cycled through Sneed Park and onto the Portway, then came up Bridge Valley Road and back via the Gorge Top path to the Peregrine Watch, then home. Just before the Peregrine Watch I spied a hunting Peregrine slowly gliding up above Nightingale Valley, eventually disappearing from my view. Earlier on the side of Portway, just below Black Rocks a Kestrel dived into a patch of daffodils and came out carrying a mouse, he flew off to the cliff, then over behind it. It looks as if the Kestrel nest is elsewhere this year, this bird did not take it's kill to the cliff above me. Earlier I had a ringside seat for a small group of Redshank on the mud/water edge - much better than the cliff top. The works on Bridge Valley Road looks very serious, I cannot see it being open for months yet.

Sunday April 11th

I cycled via Broadmead, the Docks, and then walked up the NT Nature Trail beside the river to Burwalls, to cross the Suspension Bridge. Apart from Gulls and Pigeons it was all very quiet. Many of the trees are showing buds, so in the Gorge the Whitebeams are all starting leaves. At the Peregrine Watch a Buzzard was driven away from the vicinity of the Raven's nest by one of the birds. At Sea Walls there was a solitary Redshank on the mud.

Wednesday, Thursday, April 7th, 8th

Two sunny days, it is still a little cold. The buds on the horse chestnut trees are coming greener each day, and there are buds on the whitebeams.
Wednesday: There was a very brief glimpse of a Kestrel as it flew by close under the Sea Walls cliff, a few Redshank on the mud and then a hunting Peregrine over towards the Suspension bridge.
Thursday: No Peregrines, the Raven was on its nest, there were well over 50 Redshank on the mud below Sea Walls, by far the largest number that I have seen. They are spread out all along the water edge and on the mud slopes. A set of tracks on the mud could be from a Deer, but I could not see any animal. By 11am in the morning they are all under cover, so maybe if I could get out at sunrise ...

Sunday March 28th, Tuesday April 6th

We were away last week, Monday to Friday, beside the sea at Bridport. I did see a couple of Gannets, but otherwise the weather kept most birdwatching to being a dream!
Sunday: a morning ride around the Downs; a couple of Redshank below Black Rock and a sighting of a Peregrine flying back over the Downs towards Shirehampton.
Monday: I counted 39 Redshank below the Sea Walls cliffs, mostly in two large groups on the river mud opposite, but a couple on this side. At the Peregrine Watch a bird flew from the cliff below me, and over to perch in a small ash tree opposite - looking as usual like a small lantern. The Raven was very visible on her nest. I wonder if the chicks have hatched?

Friday March 26th

Windy again and with occasional small showers, but from the south so that cycling up to Sea Walls was hard work. However a week of cycling has helped my back pains. At Sea Walls there was the largest group of Redshank that I have seen for a while, at least three dozen on the side of the river downstream and another dozen or so under the cliffs. The tide was still receding with more mud than water. A couple of days ago, at the Peregrine Watch, we could hear the lions in the Zoo roaring. Apparently it is quite common but I had not heard it before, the sound must be fearsome from just outside the cage.

Thursday March 25th

Back into shorts today - the temperature is rising! At Black Rocks the Redshank were on the mud just below the storm drain outlet. At the Peregrine Watch I was asked whether the birds were around, when low and behold a powerful grey back glided out from just underneath us, then sailed back out of sight. This was repeated several times, just as if to say, "we are here". A very small black back was just visible on the Raven nest. No Kestrels.

Wednesday 24th March

Dull, a bit wet, but warmer than yesterday. The rain stopped by the time I reached the Downs. The Redshanks are back on the mud, over on the mud on the Leigh Woods side by Sea Walls. I counted 20 of them in a tight group, all busy probing the mud at the water side. A Kestrel landed in a bush close to the nest site, then took off and started to hunt all along the scrub and trees at the top of the Gully, I cycled over and watched him (her?) from below as he hovered. He disappeared into the Gully, but I could not see him there until he moved out back towards Black Rocks. At the Peregrine Watch a couple of ducks were speeding up and down river, one a Mallard, the other is a curious brown and white bird, I've seen it for several years. Maybe a cross with a domesticated duck. A Raven was just visible on the nest, there must be eggs by now. No Peregrines today.

I discovered another bird blog - see http://www.wildmonty.co.uk/ : Wild Monty - Wildlife sightings in the Montpelier, St Andrews, St Pauls and St Werburghs districts of Bristol, UK

Monday, Tuesday March 22nd, 23rd

Monday was cold with a strong wind from the south west, apart from Wood and feral Pigeons, Gulls, Jackdaws and Rooks, I only saw a Cormorant flying with rapid wing beats up towards Bristol Docks. The tide is high but receeding a little each day. A second "short trouser" day!
Tuesday was even colder, but thankfully without the wind. The cold drove me to wear long trousers again. A Peregrine was flying around under the cliff at the Peregrine Watch, flying just out towards the road and back repeatedly. One also came in from over by Leigh Woods, and also from the Walcombe Slade area. Maybe all the same bird. A small black head was just visible over on the Raven's nest.

Monday March 15th, Sunday March 21st

Monday: A lunchtime trip especially to see if there was any sign of the Kestrels. Yes, one flew down to the cliff beside the nest and perched on a ledge, perhaps for five minutes, then flew off towards the Gully. The bird may have joined a mate, since I saw two birds for a short time. No sign of them in the Gully. No return to the nest.
Sunday: The first morning ride (in shorts!!!) for a long time. Sunny weather and a beautiful view from Black Rocks. The climbers were out; pairs of Jackdaws circling under the cliff, but no Kestrel. The nest site cliff has small white stains in several places, a sign that they are nesting. At the Peregrine Watch the 'watchers' were out in force with 'scopes and binoculars, and the usual banter. First a Sparrowhawk appeared and flew back over the Downland Then a Peregrine passed up the Gorge at speed, it rose in the air and started to circle, hunting, to be joined and buzzed by an irate Raven. The Raven gave up; the Peregrine circled high over Leigh Woods then up over the Gorge and river, probably 500 foot up. Then an amazing stoop at high speed towards the river surface where I lost sight. Brilliant!

Tuesday, March 2nd

The weather seems to have warmed up - a little - so I cycled over to the Gorge. I first noticed the Kestrel nest at Black Rocks during April last year (not blogged since I was in the car), that was quite late, so the birds must have been sitting on eggs. Today a Kestrel disappeared into a place near last year's nest on the cliff. It did not look like the same place, and though I waited, the bird did not reappear. At the Peregrine Watch I watched a couple of Ravens circling high above their nest area on the Leigh Woods side. They must be getting ready to nest.

The GOAT PEN has been started! I see that they are clearing the bushes in a line just below the rim of the Gully beside Circular Road where it leaves the Gorge. Since it has recently been observed that the goats in Cheddar Gorge, an area 100 times that being used in the Gully, have been eating the whitebeam bark, I fail to see how all of the trees in the Gully (henceforth called the GOAT PEN!) will not be ruined. The plan was to fence the rarer whitebeams, but the glory of this region in the spring comes from all of these trees, not just those that have a rarity interest. In Cheddar the problem is compounded by the discovery of yet another whitebeam species - in this case appropriately named Cheddar Whitebeam. These Whitebeams were discovered after the NT had released the goats, so they are reported to be in a quandary! Try goat stew!

Wednesday, Thursday, January 27th, 28th

I walked over the Downs to the Gorge both days. It is too cold to cycle, and I needed the exercise. No sign of the Kestrels yet, I hear that the Peregrines are courting, and have been seen around. I haven't seen them since before Christmas. On Thursday a Buzzard was gliding around over Walcombe Slade, she attracted attention from the Gulls, a couple of Ravens and a large flock of Crows, Jackdaws and Rooks. So nice to be so unpopular! It was amazing how she avoided her tormentors - a feint, occasionally a slight tumble, or just a change of direction. She circled for some ten minutes so that my arms became tired holding the binoculars. Then she came down over the river and up close past the Peregrine Watch, so that I had a fine view. She turned and came back again past me and towards Black Rocks, finally she moved off over Leigh Woods, still pursued by three Crows, and disappeared under the tree line.

Mondays 18th, 25th January

The first of these mondays was quite warm, the second, today, was perishing so that I only managed one Downs circuit. It seemed to get colder even when I cycled! There is still a diminished pile of snow-ice at the junction of Circular Road and Ladies Mile. I did not stop to look for any birds, but there was a large group of Jackdaws/Crows/Rooks pecking around on the grass by the Peregrine Watch, and a number of fluffed-out pigeons sitting in the trees. On the 18th I did get a glimpse of a Kestrel, and this set me wondering about when they, the Kestrels, will take over their nest beside Black Rock cliff. I'm certain that they will be back in 2010, and this cold weather is less problem for raptors than other birds - lots of weak food around on the wing!
My ride this morning was to try to lay down a marker for regular cycling again, however the forecast is not good, and it looks as if the cold air is pushing the warm air back out into the Atlantic again. I'll persevere, and hopefully be out again tomorrow ....

Saturday January 9th

I walked across to the Peregrine Watch, then around to Sea Walls. The snow was very powdery, and compared to last year there were few snow sculptures, but some very large snowballs! The bitter cold made it difficult to linger. I spotted a Raven from the Peregrine Watch, and possibly a Peregrine over in Leigh Woods trees. Then at Sea Walls a Kestrel was chased around by a Crow, some Redwing were flying around above the river. A small speckled bird, just below the fence was probably a Meadow Pipet. This morning (Sunday), from our house window over Redland another Crow was chasing, probably a Peregrine. The survival of many of these birds in this cold must be precarious.